Confessions of a Tri Geek

"How much time do you spend training?" Sarah, a triathlete who fits her training in around her big job running a PR business was recounting to me a chiding she'd just taken from a friend. "I figure it's about 10 hours a week right now," she said.

"And how much time do you spend talking about triathlons?," the friend asked. The answer, as most triathletes (including Sarah and me) will tell you: Pretty much the rest of the day. Because there's way more to talk about with triathlons than swimming, biking, and running.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Triathlon is actually about managing your life's energy. It's about redefining what's possible. It's about individual achievement that's celebrated by a community of passionate individuals. And yes, it's about workout clothes, sore feet, how many miles you biked this week, and ecstatic finish line photos.

Join me as I explore the ins and outs of performing and feeling your best—on the tri course or at your desk.

More From Marie Claire

Winning the Snooze Button Battle

Yesterday was the kind of morning—50 degrees and raining—that forces you to dig deep about why you thought you wanted to join a running group that meets twice a week at 6:30 in the morning. Thirty minutes from where you live. Outdoors. In the winter.

I opened one eye at 5:45. Wondered if I wanted to go. I'd just started this class (and paid for it); just started seeing if I could change my workouts to mornings in order to free up evenings to do some nifty extra stuff for Marie Claire as well as for friends and Stuff That Needs to Get Done. Plus, after-work workouts mean start-to-finish darkness; at least in the mornings it's light when you're done.

Something made me get out of bed. And by the time I'd finished brushing my teeth, I was awake enough to realize that I made the decision to be at that class every session back when I paid my money. I didn't need to re-make that decision every day. All I had to do was carry it out. I may not like that decision all the time (talk to me when the temps dip into the 30s; I'm a love-it-at-90-degrees girl), but at least I'm done with wasting energy wondering. Instead, I can spend my energy moving forward, one mile at a time.